Secret Santa
by SorryImLate
Summary: Kakashi and Iruka haven’t spoken a word since they broke up; that is, until, Secret Santa brings them together. Happy Christmas.


Title: Secret Santa  
Pairing: KakaIru  
Summary: Christmas Story.  
Kakashi and Iruka haven't spoken a word since they broke up; that is, until, Secret Santa brings them together.

Flames will be ignored.

"The next person who succeeds or attempts to eat the glue will stay behind for an hour and help me tidy up this mess." Iruka warned with a stern look, and the bottle of glue was placed carefully on the table.

"Iruka-sensei, I can't reach the top!" A young girl called out as she held the end of the long string of red tinsel as high as she could against the window.

"Just a minute," Iruka replied, his hands full with a young male student who needed help reaching the window to stick his cut-out icicle stencil. He let the boy back down to the floor and approached the other window to take the tinsel from her hands. Lifting high, he stuck the end to the corner of the window, where the long string of tinsel drooped into an arch.

"Konohamaru, what did I say about that glue?" He warned again, with his back turned to the boy who was previously grinning at his dare, but now sheepishly putting the bottle back.

It was a tough job, but Iruka had been teaching for years and decorated his classroom with his students every year. There was always one student who wouldn't follow the rules, always one student who somehow got hurt, and always one student who stayed behind with him to tidy up the mess they had made with the tinsel fight. Iruka had seen it all coming, and although it looked like he had eyes at the back of his head, he simply knew his students too well.

"That looks great," He smiled sincerely as he took a step back to look around the room at what they had done. The windows were covered in pretty coloured tinsel; there was a huge banner across the wall spelling 'Merry Christmas', their teacher had even brought in a small Christmas tree that his students had eagerly decorated. It looked perfect. "And because you've all done such a good job, you can go home without homework." He smiled again as his student's eyes lit up. "Don't forget your presents on the side, have a lovely Christmas and I'll see you next year. Dismissed."

There was a childish cheer as the students ran to the table to collect their name-tagged gifts. It wasn't much, but Iruka always bought each of his student's a little something for the holiday season. He sat down in his desk and sighed in relief as the children left the room; he was exhausted. He looked up at the room again and smiled at the sight, they really had done a good job.

Quickly, the Chuunin cleaned up the room and tidied away the decorating equipment; he still had another shift in the mission room. He was looking forward to a break, yet unlike his students, Iruka still had another week here.

Not that he really minded though; as much as he loved Christmas, it was never the same as it used to be. He was always alone on Christmas; he had no family to share it with, and all of his friends spent it with their families. There was one Christmas however that, to Iruka, was perfect. It was a year ago when he and Kakashi had first got together; Kakashi had spent Christmas eve with Iruka and stayed the night, and then the next day woke up to what was the best day of Iruka's life. They spent the morning making breakfast together whilst listening to the radio that spilled out traditional Christmas songs. It was Iruka's first Christmas with someone, and so he couldn't suppress the excitement as he danced stupidly to the radio, and to his surprise, Kakashi joined in.

After breakfast they opened their presents together, many were from carious work colleagues but most were from each other. It was the most presents Iruka had ever gotten in a long time, since he was a child in fact. Kakashi had clearly spoiled him, and Iruka had spent quite a lot on his new boyfriend too.

They spent the afternoon preparing Christmas dinner, well; Iruka prepared the food while Kakashi set out the table. He had brought three bottles of sake, new Christmas cutlery with cartoon pictures of Santa on them, crackers and Holly decorated napkins. He had also lighten candles at the table when they ate, again, listening to the Christmas radio.

The sun began to set and Christmas was starting to end, so both Kakashi and Iruka made the most of it, snuggled up together on the sofa under a blanket, whilst watching Christmas films. Iruka fell asleep half way through, the excitement exhausted him. He was carried up to bed at the early hours of the night where Kakashi lay with him, stroking his hair lovingly. It was the most perfect day Iruka had ever had.

They split up two months later when Kakashi still refused to let their friends know about their relationship. He promised Iruka countless times that he would tell them, but he needed time. For Iruka, the feeling of a secret relationship became to much for him, and the magical nights they had together behind closed doors just weren't enough.

They did their best to avoid each other out of both hurt and respect, and hadn't spoken for a whole ten months. Kakashi seemed to have taken it well, from what Iruka had seen of him when passing by, but for Iruka, his heart never fully healed.

He tried his best to look to the future, and had bought new Christmas lights and ornaments for his classroom to start fresh, a new tradition. His students filled the empty space throughout the day, helping Iruka fool himself that Christmas wouldn't be so bad this year. He had spent Christmas alone for many years before he met Kakashi, he could do it again… but it wouldn't be the same. Not having anything was bad, but having something and then having that taken away, it was agony.

He stepped into the mission room and looked around at the new sight of decorations. Izumo and Kotetsu had done a good job in decorating, it send a warm fuzzy feeling through Iruka's stomach, the same feeling he got when he and Kakashi went to bed together on Christmas eve, knowing that tomorrow would be a good day.

"Evening." Kotetsu greeted with a smile, Iruka nodded in acknowledgment and too his seat to begin his work. "So?" Kotetsu called out again and Iruka glanced up to see both Kotetsu and Izumo staring at him expectantly.

"Oh, it looks great." Iruka quickly caught when he realized he was beginning to offend his over-sensitive-at-Christmas-look-what-I've-done comrades. Kotetsu and Izumo smiled brightly again, and the three shared various conversations while the other Chuunin's and Jounin's entered.

"Merry Christmas," Genma grinned as he walked into the room wearing a Santa hat. "I've got some for you too." He announced as he threw various hats towards the desk, one landing before Iruka.

He inwardly groaned; he didn't want to wear a stupid hat. He watched as both Kotetsu and Izumo decorated their heads with the hats, shouting 'Ho Ho Ho' as though no one had ever said it before.

"Put it on, Iruka." Kotetsu demanded and received a glare from the Chuunin.

"I will later…" Iruka mumbled grumpily, not entirely liking the idea of being centre of attention.

"Iruka!" Genma whined. "You're ruining Christmas! Put it o-"

"Secret Santa!"

Iruka was saved when Kurenai entered the room, with Asuma behind her dressed as Father Christmas. Iruka stared at him in horror, eyes wide. What if the Village was attacked that day? Was he going to fight dressed like that? The Village would turn into a joke.

"Come play Secret Santa!" Kurenai smiled brightly as she held out a box before her, shaking it.

"What's Secret Santa?" Izumo blinked.

"Tsunade's orders." Asuma smirked and rolled his eyes. "She thought it would make the Christmas party more fun.

Oh yes, the Christmas party. Iruka sighed. He had almost forgotten about that. Another year of standing in the same room as your superiors pretending you were on the same level, whilst making irrelevant chit chat, and then returning home to your empty home and empty bed. The Hokage wouldn't believe his excuse that he couldn't come, as he obviously had no where else to be.

"Right, this is Secret Santa." Kurenai explained as she held the box out to Genma, who blinked at her. "You take a piece of paper from the box, it has someone's name on it, and then you have to buy that person a Christmas present, but it has to be a secret."

And now he probably had to buy someone he particularly didn't like a Christmas present, or if he wanted to ruin his day even more, someone who didn't like him would buy him something ridiculous as a 'funny' joke. Iruka sighed again.

Sighing, Genma placed his hand in the box and took out a piece of paper. He opened it up and read the name, then laughed.

"Who is it?" Izumo snorted.

"I can't say." Genma laughed again, as Kurenai shook the box and offered it to Izumo. The Chuunin buried his hand inside and took out a piece of paper, followed by Kotetsu who repeated the act.

Iruka buried his eyes into his work as he heard Kurenai's footsteps coming towards him, followed by the loud laugh of Asuma as he joked around with Genma.

"Secret Santa." Kurenai smiled brightly as she shook the box at Iruka. Iruka blinked at her and sighed, before he buried his hand into the box.

_Please! Don't be Tsunade!_ He inwardly prayed as he took a piece of paper and pulled it out of the box. _Or Ibiki… be Izumo or Kotetsu, they're not hard to buy for…_

Slowly, he opened up the piece of paper. He blinked, and then blinked again, before his breath caught in his throat. _Kami hates me._ He wanted to cry, or be sick.

The name that read out on the paper was;

Hatake Kakashi.

His day was just getting better, now he had to buy a present for the one person he didn't even want to think about. He hadn't even considered that he would receive such a curse, it was just cruel.

Kurenai smiled brightly at him before she turned away to shake the box at someone else, while Iruka buried his face into the arms, clutching into the cursed paper. This was the worst Christmas ever.

x—

"You should really go to the hospital." Genma pointed out as he looked over Kakashi's wounds, still wearing his Santa hat. He had just returned from a 'Christmas mission' and wasn't in the best of shape.

"Maa, it's just a scratch." Kakashi shrugged as he turned the page of his book. Genma sighed and leaned back against the stump at the training grounds, eating his boxed lunch.

"Secret Santa!" Kurenai shouted as she spotted Kakashi and Genma. Both had and Asuma approached them slowly, giving the bearded man time to waddle in his costume.

"I wonder if that's her Christmas present." Genma laughed and Kakashi smirked; it wasn't every day you get to see the son of the Third Hokage dressed as Father Christmas.

"Kakashi, you look terrible." Kurenai stopped as she approached them, blinking. Kakashi simply smiled and shrugged, then closed his book as he eyed the box she was holding out.

"What's that?"

"It's Secret Santa." Genma smirked as he looked up at Kurenai. "You've already done me."

"What's Secret Santa?" Kakashi asked, eyebrows furrowed.

Kurenai sighed. "I've had to explain this at least ten times today. Right, this is Secret Santa, you pick a piece of paper from the box and have to buy whoever's name on it a present, but you have to keep it a secret. So, take one." She ordered as she shook the box at him.

Kakashi looked at the box again as though it were an explosive tag. "Do I have to?"

"Hokage's orders." Asuma chuckled.

Great, another one of Tsunade's idea of fun, but it was coming out of Kakashi's pocket. He sighed and buried his hand into the box and took out a piece of paper, then opened it. His eyes widened as he read the name and he shook his head, folding the piece of paper again.

"No way, I'm not getting him one!" He murmured bluntly.

"Kakashi, it's Secret Santa…" Kurenai pouted.

"I'm sorry but it's not going to happen." Kakashi shook his head as Genma leaned in to read the name. Immediately the senbon user laughed excitedly as he buried his hand into his pocket and fished out his own piece of paper.

"Want to swap?" He asked, and Kakashi gazed over to the paper. His visible eye widened when he read the name, before he nodded and took the paper, handing Genma his own.

"Hey, you can't swap!" Kurenai interrupted Kakashi's victory.

"Why not? We're still playing the stupid game, just this way everyone wins." Kakashi smirked. Kurenai sighed and shrugged before she looked over to the distance to see another pair of comrades.

"Secret Santa!" She shouted and ran towards them. Asuma looked down at Kakashi and Genma with an exhausted sigh, before he took two fistfuls of his Santa costume to help carry the weight and waddled after her.

"I know _exactly_ what I'm gonna get Gai!" Genma smirked, as Kakashi gazed down at the piece of paper in his hands.

_Iruka…_

_x—_

This was a complete nightmare.

Iruka had been standing in the middle of a huge shop, looking around at various smaller shops inside. He could feel his dignity slowly slipping away as he looked around at various gifts that his ex lover might like. He needed to get something that Kakashi wouldn't realize was from him, something that seemed friendly, but not too friendly. Something formal; a bath set? Iruka questioned himself as he looked down at the packaged set of bath scents. No, that seemed too flirty, like Iruka wanted to bath with him, when he certainly did not.

No he didn't. He stubbornly shook his head to himself. He hated Kakashi, he despised him and, missed him sometimes…

Chocolate? No, Kakashi hated chocolate.

Maybe he should get him chocolate… The Chuunin smirked grudgingly.

No, he might as well get him something that he would make use of, not _like_, but just _use_.

Most definitely not like.

The new book of Icha Icha was out… Iruka's eyes gazed away as he thought about it.

_Buy my ex boyfriend porn. _He snorted to himself sarcastically.

This was a nightmare! How do you buy a gift for the last person you wanted to buy a gift for? This was confusing and… quite painful.

He looked around the shop in search for something, anything that would seem an appropriate gift for Kakashi. He stopped when he saw a small aisle of Christmas crackers, his heart melting as he remembered last Christmas with Kakashi. It had been so perfect. There was nothing more that Iruka could ask for on that day.

Feeling his eyes begin to water, Iruka stubbornly blinked them back and left the shop empty handed. He shouldn't have to do this. It was too painful, too cruel…

He thought he had gotten over Kakashi, or at least it seemed that way when the Jounin wasn't at all involved with his life. There were so many things he missed; the way Kakashi would massage his back on the double bed after a long day, or try to cook him a meal when he had done something wrong.

He even missed his pet name, a name that was only for him and only from Kakashi; _My little dolphin._

He clenched his fists and walked out of the shop quickly, back into the main entrance of the big shop. Looking around, Iruka forced himself into the next shop and looked around at the various gifts. He didn't want to be here any longer, it was making him tense and unhappy. It was only one gift, Kakashi would get over it. He didn't really even like Christmas that much. Finally he sighed and picked up an expensive bottle of Sake in a pretty box; that would make a good gift for anyone, ex lover or not.

x—

The party had been just as Iruka had imagined, just like it was every year; a drunk Hokage shouting too loud during a conversation, a Jounin-Santa, this time Asuma, and a comrade Iruka didn't know who had drank too much and was now in tears over something that wouldn't matter if she was sober.

He sighed as he watched the scene in front of him. Genma and Anko were dancing together, their hands anywhere but somewhere appropriate. He smiled sadly as he watched them, missing that physical contact.

Just like every year, except last, he was alone. He was sitting on his own at an empty table while his comrades shared their Christmas cheer. It wasn't that Iruka didn't want to join in, but with a certain masked Jounin at the other side of the room, he couldn't find it in himself to move from his seat. He felt numb at just the sight of Kakashi, but couldn't help stealing glances at him, reluctantly talking to Gai. At least Genma was with him, Iruka thought. He wouldn't be too bored then…

He sighed and finally stood from the table to get another drink. At least he had a reason to drink tonight, even if he didn't really enjoy it. He poured himself some sake as he looked over to the pile of presents in the corner of the room, spotting his gift for Kakashi, all wrapped up neatly in red shiny Christmas paper.

"Merry Christmas." A voice murmured behind him and Iruka's eyes widened as he recognized it immediately. He stared straight ahead of him for a moment as he pulled himself together, before he slowly turned to face the Jounin. Kakashi gazed down at him, his expression hesitant.

"Um, yes… Merry Christmas." Iruka said quietly, avoiding the Jounin's eyes.

"How are you?" Kakashi then asked, to Iruka's surprise. The Chuunin looked up at him awkwardly, before he offered him a small, fake smile.

"I'm good. How are you?" He asked, acting as disinterested as possible in how Kakashi was doing.

"Fine." Kakashi murmured with a nod, his hands buried in his pockets.

Silence stretched out between them as either waited for the other to say something. Iruka's chest tightened painfully as he looked around the room, anywhere but at Kakashi.

"Well, see you." Iruka finally said with another forced smile, and he brushed past Kakashi, their shoulders touching. Both the Jounin and Chuunin's breath caught in their throat at the physical touch, before the cold empty air hit them again. Kakashi turned as he watched Iruka walk away, back to his empty table.

x—

"Secret Santa!"

"It's Secret Santa everyone!"

"SECRET SANTA!" Tsunade shouted over the music and everyone stopped and looked at her blankly. They quickly huddled round the corner as Kurenai sorted out the presents. Iruka stood at the back of the 'que' reluctantly, while Kakashi stood at the other side of the crowd, watching him.

"Genma!" Kurenai called out as she threw a small, baby pink gift bag to the senbon user. Genma smirked and buried his hand into the bag, before he laughed out loud and fished out a pair of frilly thongs. There was a roar of laughter as he bent down and stepped into them, and then pulled them up his legs over his uniform bottoms.

"Thanks, whoever got me these!" He smirked as he admired his 'package' through the material.

"Gai!" Kurenai called out again and chucked a wrapped up present towards him. Gai smiled brightly as he ripped open the paper, various comrades watching eagerly, while Kakashi, Iruka noticed, stood behind him, watching in boredom. His usual happy grin turned into a dark frown as he pulled out a long, bubblegum pink spandex costume, similar to his green one.

"But this is for a woman?" He said blankly, as everyone around laughed.

"Kakashi!" Kurenai shouted as she threw him a red-wrapped box. Kakashi caught it in his hands and raised his eyebrow as he examined the box for a moment. Iruka watched intently from the corner of his eye as he slowly ripped the wrapping paper, and then studied the box.

"Maa, very nice." He murmured as he revealed the sake to the 'audience', his eye crinkled up into a smile. He gazed down at the sake again and lifted it to his masked nose to inhale the scent of the owner. Iruka's eyes widened as Kakashi's gaze then met his own, their eyes sinking into each other.

"Iruka!" Kurenai called out and the Chuunin could have kissed her for the timing. He took the blue wrapped box from her and carefully peeled the paper back. He could feel all eyes on him as he opened his gift, but felt his chest tighten painfully when he saw what it was.

"Aw, Ruka that's beautiful!" Kurenai smiled.

A snow globe the size of the palm of his hand with a dolphin inside, blue and green glitter sprinkled around the animal. He lifted the snow globe closer to his eyes when he saw something on the inside of the wrapping paper. His eyes gazed down to the white sheet where he saw writing;

_Merry Christmas, My Little Dolphin._

A shuddered breath escaped his lips as he felt his eyes begin to water, and he looked up to Kakashi, only to see that he was no longer there. He looked back down to the globe in his hands as he stroked along the delicate glass with his thumb, before he felt something brush against the back of his neck.

He gasped as he felt all eyes on him, staring as though he'd grown another head, and then he felt those soft, warm hands slide around his waist and masked lips bury into the side of his neck.

He turned to face the Jounin as a tear fell down his cheek. Kakashi's eye crinkled into a smile as he wiped the tear away, before he leaned into Iruka and pulled his mask down out of view of the other people.

Their lips met in a soft, warm kiss and Iruka felt his knees buckle, but the strong arms around his waist kept him upright. The kiss was slowly broken and he looked up at Kakashi, whose mask was back on his face.

"Woah." Genma had to say it.

He carefully took the snow globe from Iruka's hands and held the bottle of sake in his elbow, before he took Iruka's hand in his own, and they left the room together.

It was the best Christmas ever.

_Thanks for reading._


End file.
